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Thursday, October 20, 2016

Fractured by Catherine McKenzie

One year ago, Julie Prentice and her family relocated to the charming Mount Adams area of Cincinnati. The move was supposed to be a chance to start over - anonymously. A chance for Julie and her family to feel safe again. Julie, author of the massively popular book The Murder Game, gained notoriety not just as an author but as an outspoken victim of stalking. In an era where internet crime is still a strange gray area, Julie's attempts at restraining orders and a lawsuit didn't leave her protected in the least. But her new home, where no one knows her as Julie Apple, and a security system with failsafes to guarantee someone knows where she is and if an alarm has gone off at all times, initially set her at ease. Unfortunately, it took less than twelve months for that ease and sense of security to crumble.

Ooh, I love it! There's something a bit more voyeuristic than usual about this particular release from McKenzie. First, the plot does hit very close to home in the sense that there's been an increase in online harassment in general and in particular in the literary community. But the behind closed doors look inside Julie and her neighbor John's lives, and the way McKenzie has built the story, feels extremely peeping Tom like. There's almost a sense that you're seeing things you simply aren't meant to in these character's stories.

Of course, that's in part thanks to the way the story plays out. Do you root for Julie or John? It's clear from the beginning that their relationship, which starts off somewhat on the wrong foot anyway, has grown contentious. The story bounces between Julie's move in and one year later where it quickly becomes clear that there's some sort of trial beginning.

Fractured is definitely another win from McKenzie. Longtime readers know I'm a total fan girl, though, considering I've loved all of her books and have been singing her praises since Spin! I do love how the kinds of stories she writes are always changing. Her earliest works are a bit light with romantic twists while her latest stuff has provided keen insight into the deepest secrets and fears of relationships and marriages. Fractured is darker than all of her previous works - though not DARK by any means. But, McKenzie did one extra with this one - she wrote The Murder Game as well!

Yes, there's a companion book to Fractured, Julie Apple's The Murder Game, The Book as it's referred to in Fractured, is real and you can read it November 1!

So yeah, Catherine McKenzie wrote two books this round! And I can't wait to read "Julie's" contribution to the thriller world!

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Catherine McKenzie and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.